Match-vending machine.



Patented May I3, I902.

No. 699,82l.

G. G. SCHRUEDER. m'mcn VENDING momma.

(Application filed June 1, 19-01.-

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No. 699,82l. Patented May I3, 1902.

me. scnnoeugm MATCH VENDING MACHINE.

(Application filed June 1, 1901.!

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Patented May 8,1902. G. G. SCHRUEDER.

HATCH VENDING MACHINE.

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0r wwwww M g 4 N0. 699,82L- Patented May I3, I902.

G. G. SCHROEDER.

MATCH VENDING MACHINE.

(Application filed June 1, 1901. 7 (No Model.) 5, Sheets-Sheet 4,

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N0. 699,82I/ I Patanted May l3, I902 G. G. SCH ROEDER.

. MATCH VENDING MACHINE.

(IE1 ModeL) (Application filed-lune 1, 1901.)

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. ITE STATES ArnNr FFICE.

GEORGE G. SCI-IROEDER, OF WVASHINGTON, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, ASSIGNOR,BY MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, TO THE FEDERAL AUTOMATIC MACHINE COMPANY, OF NEWYORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

MATCH-VENDING MACHINE.

$PEGIFIGATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 699,821, dated May 13,1902.

Application filed June 1, 1901.

to the accompanying drawings, and to the ures of reference markedthereon, which form a part of this specification.

This invention relates to coin-controlled machines, and has specialreference to a ma chine of this type designed for the vending of matchesin small packages or boxes.

In most forms of coin-controlled vending apparatus or machines thecoin-controlled mechanism is usually complicated and made up of partswhich frequently get out of order, and thus destroy the utility of themachines; but the present invention comprises a mechanism involving aminimum number of parts and so related as to insure an accurate andpositive operation at all times, thus well adapting the machine for thevending of small packages containing matches or the like.

A further object of the invention is to associate with the mechanism forreleasing the ejector for the article improved means for temporarilyretaining or holding the coin in an operative position and also insuringthe release thereof before the article is discharged, whereby the coinis entrapped before the article is delivered.

With these and many other objects in view, which will readily appear asthe nature of the invention is better understood, the same consists inthe novel construction, combination, and arrangement of partshereinafter more fully described, illustrated, and claimed.

The fundamental features of the invention involved in the novelconstruction and arrangement of parts specially adapting the machine formatch-vending purposes are necessarily susceptible to a wide range ofmodification without departing from the spirit or scope of theinvention; but a preferred emgerial No. 62,715. (No model.)

bodiment of the improvements is shown in the accompanying drawings, inwhich-- Figure 1 is a perspective view of a matchvending machineembodying the construction contemplated by the present invention. Fig.

2 is a vertical longitudinal sectional View of the machine, the line ofsection being taken through one of the vertical compartments thereof.Fig. 8 is an enlarged sectional View of the coin-controlled lock andrelease mechanism for each ejector. Fig. 4 is a plan View ofthepreferred form of ejector for the pack ages and'the device or mechanismdirectly associated therewith. Fig. 5 is a sectional View on the line 55 of Fig. 4. Fig. 6 is a detail in perspective of the ejector. Fig. 7 isan enlarged perspective View of the ejector and the coin-controlled lockand release mechanism'associated therewith. Fig. 8 is a detailperspective View of a short section of one of the magazine-formingplates. Fig. 9 is a 7n cross-sectional view of the same. Fig. 10 is adetail sectional view on the .line 10 10 of Fig. 2, showing thearrangement of the magazine-plates to provide the severalarticlemagazines of the vertical compartments of the cabinet.

Like numerals of reference designate correspondingparts in the severalfigures of the drawings.

In carrying out the invention the essential parts of the mechanismadapting the machine particularly for handling small packages of matchesmay be arranged in any convenient form of cabinet, and althoughspecially de-' signed for match-vending purposes it may be utilized inthe vending of other articles should it be desired to adapt theimprovements for such other uses. However, the preferred em-' bodimentof the invention is shown in the drawings, in which the working parts ofthe machine are illustrated as being within an upright cabinet 1. Thiscabinetmay necessarily be of any desired configuration, although asshown it is of a right-angled triangular shape which insures an economyof space, besides anfeffective working of the different parts ofthemechanism. The said cabinet 1 is preferably arranged in an uprightposition'and is provided with a plurality of upright interiorpartition-walls 2, dividing the cabinet into a plurality of verticalcompartments 3, each of which is equipped with a complete mechanismproviding for the vending of articles, so a description of the elementsand mechanism arranged for use in connection with each compartment 3will necessarily suffice for all of said compartments. The front wall ofeach compartment is shown asbeing inclined and provided contiguous tothe lower end thereof with a transparent panel 5, through which areexposed the articles or packages contained within the magazine 6,

thereby permitting a person to readily determine whether or not thatparticular magazine is filled with the articles or packages to bevended. The magazine 6 may obviously be formed in a variety of ways solong as it pro- Vides for holding a number of small'packages or boxescontaining the matches; but in the preferred construction the magazineis in the form of an elongated chute extending longitudinally of theinclined front wall, substantially the full length thereof, and openingat the top, so as to be conveniently filled through the door 7 or in anyother convenient manner. The said elongated chute-like magazine ispreferably formed by magazine-forming plates 7, consisting of suitablelengths of sheet metalbentinto an approximate U shape in cross-sectionand arranged in matching relation within the cabinet at the inner sideof the front walls 4, thus producing cross-sectionally rectangularchutes which serve to hold the similarly-shaped packages of matches andalso permitting thelatter to readily gravitate downwardly as theindividual packages are delivered or discharged through the medium ofthe reciprocatory ejector 8.

The recipro'catory ejector 8 may be of any suitable construction, but isnecessarily arranged at the lower end of the magazine 6. This ejector ispreferably of a rectangular form and is provided therein with alongitudinal article-receiver 9 in the form of a rectangular openingextending vertically through the body of the ejector and of a size toloosely receive therein one of the packages containing the matches. Thesaid ejector 8 is arranged to work within and upon a fixedguiding-support 10, arranged beneath the lower end of the chute 6 andprovided at the inner end of its bottom with a shouldered guard-ledge11, the function of which will presently appear. From the outer side ofthe ejector 8 is projected a sliding push-rod 12, working through aguide-opening 13 in the front of the support and exposed at the front ofthe cabinet to be manipulated by the person desiring to purchase apackage from the machine. From the inner side of the ejector 8 there isextended a guide-stem 14, working through an opening 15 in asupporting-standard 16, arising from the base of the cabinet, andinterposed between the standard 16 and the inner side of the ejector 8is a resetting-spring 17 for throwing the ejector back to its naturalposition after an article or package has been delivered.

The ejector 8 has rigidly attached thereto and extended rearwardlytherefrom a catchbar 18, provided with a series of ratchet-teeth 19,engaged by one arm of a lock device 20. This lock device 20 ispreferably in the form of a pivotal latch-lever, having intermediate itsends a U -shaped bearingstirrup 21, ofiset laterally from the lever andengaging the pivot 22, secured to a supporting-bracket 23, mounted in afixed position within the cabinet. This mannerof pivotally supportingthe latch lever provides for a direct hanging thereof with a minimumamount of friction.

The latch-lever 20 carries at one side of its pivot a coin-cage 24,having a vertical opening therethrough and normally lying beneath and inalinenient with the coin-chute 25, suitably arranged within the cabinetand in communication with the coin-slot 26 at the front thereof. Thesaid coin-cage 24 is also provided with transverse slots 27, throughwhich loosely extends the movable end of a coinretaining spring 28, madefast at its other end, as at 29, to the latch-lever 20, saidcoinretaining spring normally lying in such position as to hold a coinwithin the cage 24 until the said spring is pushed back to widen up thepassage-way through the cage. This action is accomplished through themedium of an angled trip-arm 30, carried by and projected from the rearside of the ejector.

The parts are normally arranged, as shown in Fig. 2 of the drawings,with a package of matches lying in the opening 9 of the ejector. When acoin is introduced through the coinslot, the same passes by way of thechute 25 into the coin-cage 24 and is arrested and held in the said cageby the retainer 28. The weight of the coin in the cage 24 tilts thelever 20 and releases it from the catch or ratchet bar 18, thuspermitting the person to press inward upon the push-rod 12, and therebycarrying the package beyond the bottom portion of the guiding-support10, where it will drop into the open or exposed delivery-pocket 31,provided'in the front of the cabinet at the lower end of each of itscompartments. Should the person not push the ejector far enough inward,the package will drop into and become caught within the shoulderedguardledge 11, thus preventing the complete retraction of the ejectoruntil the operator has pushed the same a sufficient distance to causethe article to be dropped into the deliverypocket. The complete inwardmovement of the ejector carries the trip-arm against the coin-retainingspring 28, thus releasing the coin from the cage and permitting thelatchlever to again drop back into engagement with the catch-bar of theejector.

From the foregoing it is thought that the construction ,operation,andmany advantages ICO of the herein-described machine will be readilyapparent without further description, and it will be understood thatvarious changes in the form, proportion,and construction of parts may beresorted to without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of theadvantages of the invention.

Having thus described the invention, what I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In a vending-machine, a magazine, an ejector carrying a ratchet-bar,a latch-lever having a laterally-offset bearing-stirrup engaging apivot, said latch-lever carrying a. coin-cage, a coin-retaining springextending through said cage and carried by the latchlever, and atrip-arm carried by the ejector and engaging with said sprin 2.Inavending-machine, amagazine-chute, a stationary guiding-support, anejector Working on the said support, lock and release mechanism,cooperating with the ejector, and a guard-ledge on the guiding-supportagainst which the package in the ejector lodges to prevent the return ofthe said ejector to a having a laterally-ofiset bearing-stirrup engaginga pivot, said latch-lever carrying a coin-cage, a. coin-retainerextending through said cage and carried by the latch-lever, and means onthe ejector to engage said coin-re tainer to free the coin from thecoin-cage.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two Witnesses.I v

GEORGE G. SOHROEDER; Witnesses:

WM. D. EASTERDAY, CLAUGHTON WEST.

